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Jan Reid

Deep Water Tears: Book 1 The Dreaming Series

Synopsis

Rachel cannot imagine a life away from 'Binda', her home in the bush, where the Macquarie River flows alongside her back door. Her childhood days are spent with her neighbour and biracial best friend, Darel; exploring and learning about the Australian bush and the Wiradjuri (aboriginal) culture, through the teachings of his part-aboriginal mother. At their favourite meeting place, the dividing fence between the two properties, they share all their secrets, including what Darel has told Rachel about his mother's experience as one of the Stolen Generation.
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Meanwhile, Rachel's mother, Betty Winton, looks to the future and will go to any length to separate her only daughter from an 'unsuitable' relationship. Rachel is sent to boarding school, and a few years later the family home is sold to Darel's parents, the Rutherfords. Rachel struggles to come to terms with losing Binda and her best friend, but later, when Darel re-enters her life with a woman by his side, she finally decides she must let go of the past, once and for all. However, could what she thought to be her greatest loss, actually be to key to finding her greatest joy?

Author Biography

A sixth generation Australian, Jan Reid's early years were not unlike many others born in the 1960's growing up on a wheat and sheep property in Central West, New South Wales. After the sun went down, almost every night she would be found reading a book, and under the bed covers with a torch when the lights were turned off.
For many years, Jan put pen to paper writing for her personal enjoyment, but began sharing her passion for writing in 2009 through freelance writing. She then became a Kindle book author in 2011, and in 2013, she completed the Diploma of Professional Writing - Novel Writing and Publishing, with High Distinction.
In March 2014, Jan wrote her first novel (Deep Water Tears), in November 2014, her second novel (Grace), and in November 2015, her third novel (Barons Reach) - The Dreaming Series.
Jan will always be an avid reader although she no longer needs to hide under the bed covers with a torch. When she is not writing or reading, she puts on her walking shoes and takes off on one of her many favourite walking tracks, savouring the beauty and tranquillity of the Australian South Coast.

Author Insight

Wiradjuri dreamtime story: How the kangaroo got he

Rachel recalls the Wiradjuri dreamtime story Darel told her about, 'how the kangaroo got her pouch'.

Book Excerpt

Deep Water Tears: Book 1 The Dreaming Series

As she’s collecting some kindling nearby, she thinks about Darel’s dreaming story about how the kangaroo got her pouch, and his narration of it:

‘This story is about a mother kangaroo, her baby Joey and an old wombat. When the world was young, the mother kangaroo didn’t have a pouch like she has now. Not having a pouch made it hard for her to look after Joey, because as soon as her back was turned her baby would wander off exploring.

One day an old and grumpy wombat turned up. He kept complaining, over and over, about being weary and blind, and not having a friend in the world. When he told the mother kangaroo that he hadn’t had anything to drink or eat for days, she felt sorry for him, even though he wouldn’t stop grumbling. She told him she would be his friend and help him. She told him to hold onto her tail and she would take him to water and food.

So off they went, although it took a long time to get to where she wanted to take him, because the old wombat had trouble holding onto her tail. She had been very patient. But, by the time the old wombat was drinking and eating, she realised she needed to get back to Joey.

So, she took off, and after searching high and low, she finally found Joey asleep under an old gum tree. She figured he was alright, so she bounded back to where she had left the old wombat to make sure he was still alright too.

The mother kangaroo was almost back to where she had left the old wombat when she sensed danger. Then she spotted a hunter moving close to the old wombat, so she made a lot of noise to distract him and led him far away, until the hunter finally gave up and went home.

By now, she was worrying again about Joey, so she bounded back to where she had last seen him, and with great relief found him still asleep under the old gum tree. She woke him and together they made their way slowly back to where she had left the old wombat. But no matter how much they searched they couldn’t find him.

The reason they couldn’t find the old wombat is because he had in fact been, Biyaami, the Creator Spirit, who had come down from the sky to test the kindness of his creatures.

The mother kangaroo was rewarded for her kindness. Biyaami presented her with a dilly-bag to tie around her waist, so she could carry Joey wherever she went. When she tied it to her waist though, the dilly bag magically turned it into a pouch. And, from then on, Joey could be kept safe. She didn’t need to worry about him getting lost again because she could take him with her wherever she went.’

Rachel likes the way the dreaming stories always seem to have a moral of some type. They teach and reward kindness, respect and responsibility when it is shown, not only to other people but to the environment as well. She imagines aborigine mothers telling the dreaming stories to their young children as they go about their daily lives, after seeing a family of kangaroos just like she had.